Out of Doors and Into Space

A jazz double bill to start a new year with a bang.   

First up, let Trinity Laban Jazz Orchestra & The W take you Out of Doors and Into Space. Led by Bruno Heinen, The W is a contemporary jazz quartet, featuring Heidi Vogel (Cinematic Orchestra) on vocals, Andrea Di Biase (Kenny Wheeler) on bass and Gene Calderazzo (Pharoah Sanders) on drums. Out of Doors and Into Space is Bruno Heinen’s daring new suite, bringing together The W with the Trinity Laban Orchestra made up of classical and jazz students, led by two outstanding string players: Alice Zawadzki on violin and Sascha Bota on viola. Bruno has used musical ideas taken from twentieth century classical composers as a starting point for new original compositions that form this forward-looking improvisatory work. Sir Simon Rattle and Dr. Hans Koller have been advising on the project, which has been several years in the making.

After the break, let Winston Rollins take you and the Trinity Laban Big Band on an exciting journey through big band history. The performance begins with the iconic dance music from an era when audiences flocked to concert halls to hear hits by legendary bandleaders like Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Woody Herman. 

The program then transitions into the golden age of Count Basie, capturing the sound that dominated airwaves and even television. A highlight of the set is a classic Basie track, masterfully re-imagined by the renowned Bob Mintzer, giving this timeless piece a fresh, contemporary twist. Showcasing the immense solo talent within the band, the music evolves into a vibrant, modern big band sound, reflecting the genre’s transformation from its early dance hall roots to today’s innovative jazz stylings. The night concludes with a show-stopping arrangement of Stanley Turrentine’s “Sugar” that promises to bring the house down. 

Trinity Laban Jazz Orchestra with Bruno Heinen & The W  
Heidi Vogel vocals
Andrea Di Biase bass
Gene Calderazzo drums
Bruno Heinen piano 

Trinity Laban Jazz Orchestra
Alice Zawadzki violin
Sascha Bota viola 

Trinity Laban Big Band with Winston Rollins  

Great Hall, Blackheath Halls 

£15/£10  

Photo of The W: Carlotta Cardana

The W is a newly established London-based contemporary jazz quartet of outstanding musicality creating chamber jazz that is as exciting and inventive, as it is elegant and sophisticated. As vocalist for the Cinematic Orchestra for over 15 years and the go-to vocalist for acts such as Thundercat and Soweto Kinch, Heidi Vogel has long been a critics choice for her extraordinary voice and velvet tone. Her sublime vocals bring a contemporary, stylish sound to The W. On drums is London-based New Yorker Gene Calderazzo, a leading figure on the international jazz scene whose vast portfolio includes performances with Pharoah Sanders, Radiohead and Freddie Hubbard to name a few. On double bass is Italian Andrea Di Biase who has performed with many leading figures in British jazz such as Stan Sultzman, Norma Winstone and Kenny Wheeler. The group is led by composer and improvising pianist, Bruno Heinen, who has worked with the likes of Shabaka Hutchings, ESKA, and the London Symphony Orchestra. The Independent describes him as a consistently intelligent linking voice, a fair summation of the way in which he brings these four unique musicians together through his original compositions. Like the four equal lines that make up the letter ‘W’, the four members of the group come together as one to create a perfectly balanced and compelling new sound.